Maine STATE HIGH COST/PREDATORY LENDING REGULATIONS Last Updated: 2/23/18 By: RC Coded: 3/2/2018 By: ZB Reviewed: 3/2/18 By: RC LAW: Maine Consumer Credit Code - Truth-in-Lending; ME Predatory Lending Act effective 1/1/08 (ME Rev Stat Ann Title 9-A, Section 8-506(1)(H)) LOAN AMOUNT COVERED: FNMA Loan Limits BORROWERS COVERED: Individuals Organizations Trusts Other: TOTAL LOAN AMOUNT (TLA) IS DEFINED AS: ME Rev Stat Ann Title 9-A, Section 8-506(1)(H) Loan Amount as defined in HOEPA 226.32 Note Amount Loan Amount as defined in HCML 1026.32 Other: Credit limit on open-end loans LOAN TYPES COVERED: Conventional FHA VA RHS Other: LOAN PURPOSES COVERED: Purchase Builder Equity Out One Time Closing Purchase Plus Improvements Lot Loan Borrower Interim HELOC Construction to Perm Refinance Home Equity Closed End Modification Refinance Plus Improvements Home Improvement One Time Closing with Modification Assumption BRIDGE LOANS COVERED Yes No PROPERTY OCCUPANCY COVERED: Primary Residence Second Home Investment Raw Land APR THRESHOLDS: http://www.mainelegislature.org/legis/statutes/9-a/title9-asec8-506.html APR Unteased APR Other:
First Lien: 6.5 % Subordinate Lien: 8.5 % APR COMPARED AGAINST: ME Rev Stat Ann Title 9-A, Section 8-506(1)(H) APOR APR Itself Treasury Yield Other: DATE FOR APR TEST: Application Other: Date interest rate is set Closing FEE TEST METHOD: ME Rev Stat Ann Title 9-A, Section 8-506(1)(H) Use HC Flag Use APR & Paid To ( 1026.32) Use APR & Paid To, ecept: Eclude up to 2 total discount points, if first lien rate is not > 2% over APOR or subordinate lien rate is not > 3.5% over APOR. Eclude all FHA UFMIP, VA FF, and USDA Guaranty Fee not to eceed 2%. FEE TEST THRESHOLDS: ME Rev Stat Ann Title 9-A, Section 8-506(1)(H) All liens: >5 % of TLA >$40,000 >6 % of TLA <$40,000 ADJUSTMENTS: No Yes How: FEES INCLUDED IN TEST: ME Rev Stat Ann Title 9-A, Section 8-506(1)(H) K. "Points and fees" has the same meaning as set forth in 12 Code of Federal Regulations, Section 1026.32(b)(1). In addition, "points and fees" includes: (1) The maimum prepayment fees and penalties that may be charged or collected under the terms of the loan documents; (2) All prepayment fees and penalties that are incurred by the borrower if the loan refinances a previous loan made or currently held by the same creditor or an affiliate of the creditor; and (3) All compensation paid directly or indirectly to a mortgage broker from any source, including a mortgage broker that originates a loan in its own name in a table-funded transaction. For open-end loans, points and fees are calculated by adding the total points and fees known at or before closing, including the maimum prepayment penalties that may be charged or collected under the terms of the loan documents and the minimum additional fees the borrower would be required to pay to draw down an amount equal to the total credit line. [2013, c. 464, 8 (AMD).] G. "Ecluded points and fees" means, in connection with a residential mortgage loan, all bona fide fees paid to a federal or state government agency that insures payment of some portion of a residential mortgage loan plus an amount not to eceed 2% of the total loan amount attributable to bona fide discount points or a conventional prepayment penalty. Bona fide discount points means an amount knowingly paid by a borrower for the epress purpose of reducing, and which in fact does result in a bona fide reduction of, the interest rate applicable to a residential mortgage loan, as long as the undiscounted interest rate for the residential mortgage loan does not eceed the conventional mortgage rate by more than 2 percentage points for a residential mortgage loan secured by a first lien or by 3 ½ percentage points for a residential mortgage loan secured by a subordinated lien. OTHER ITEMS TO BE TESTED/CONSIDERED:
SPECIAL NOTES: ME Rev Stat Ann Title 9-A, Section 8-506(1)(H) Fees includes all fees, compensation paid to broker, lender, affiliate including YSP Requires notice on face of security instrument stating it is a high cost loan-see law for eact verbiage. 2. High-cost mortgage loans; restrictions. A high-cost mortgage loan is subject to the provisions applying to certain closed-end home mortgages covered by Regulation Z, 12 Code of Federal Regulations, Section 1026.32 and the following restrictions. A. In connection with a high-cost mortgage loan, a creditor may not directly or indirectly finance any points or fees. [2011, c. 427, Pt. A, 15 (NEW).] B. In addition to the limitation on balloon payments found in Regulation Z, 12 Code of Federal Regulations, Section 1026.32, a high-cost mortgage loan may not contain a scheduled payment that is more than twice as large as the average of earlier scheduled payments. This paragraph does not apply when the payment schedule is adjusted to the seasonal or irregular income of the borrower. [2013, c. 464, 9 (AMD).] C. A creditor may not make a high-cost mortgage loan without first receiving certification from a counselor with a 3rd-party, nonprofit organization approved by the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development, a housing financing agency of this State or the Department of Professional and Financial Regulation, Bureau of Consumer Credit Protection that the borrower has received counseling on the advisability of the loan transaction. [2011, c. 427, Pt. A, 15 (NEW).] D. A prepayment fee or penalty may not be included in the loan documents or charged under the terms of a high-cost mortgage loan. [2011, c. 427, Pt. A, 15 (NEW).] [ 2013, c. 464, 9 (AMD).] 3. High-cost mortgage loans; assignee liability. The following provisions apply to a claim made by a borrower against a purchaser or assignee of a high-cost mortgage loan. A. Any person who purchases or is otherwise assigned a high-cost mortgage loan is subject to all affirmative claims and any defenses with respect to the loan that the borrower may assert against a creditor of the loan, ecept that this paragraph does not apply if the purchaser or assignee demonstrates by a preponderance of the evidence that it: (1) Has in place, at the time of the purchase or assignment of the subject loan, policies that epressly prohibit the purchaser or assignee's purchase or acceptance of assignment of any high-cost mortgage loan; (2) Requires by contract that a seller or assignor of residential high-cost mortgage loans to the purchaser or assignee represent and warrant to the purchaser or assignee that neither the seller or assignor will sell or assign any high-cost mortgage loans to the purchaser or assignee, nor that the seller or assignor is a beneficiary of a representation and warranty from a previous seller or assignor to that effect; and (3) Eercises reasonable due diligence, at the time of purchase or assignment of residential mortgage loans or within a reasonable period of time after the purchase or assignment of such residential mortgage loans, intended by the purchaser or assignee to prevent the purchaser or assignee from purchasing or taking assignment of any high-cost mortgage loan. For purposes of this subparagraph, reasonable due diligence must provide for sampling and may not require loan-by-loan review. [2011, c. 427, Pt. A, 15 (NEW).]
B. Notwithstanding paragraph A, liability pursuant to this subsection may not accrue to a purchaser or assignee of a high-cost mortgage loan as a result of an alleged violation by a creditor of subsection 5. [2011, c. 427, Pt. A, 15 (NEW).] 4. Ability to repay. A creditor may not etend a high-cost mortgage loan or a higher-priced mortgage loan to a consumer based on the value of the consumer's collateral without regard to the consumer's repayment ability as of consummation, including the consumer's current and reasonably epected income, employment, assets other than the collateral, credit history, debt-to-income ratio, current obligations and mortgage-related obligations. A. For purposes of this subsection, mortgage-related obligations are epected property taes, premiums for mortgage-related insurance required by the creditor, such as insurance against loss of or damage to property or against liability arising out of the ownership or use of the property or insurance protecting the creditor against the consumer's default or other credit loss, and similar epenses. [2011, c. 427, Pt. A, 15 (NEW).] B. Under this subsection, a creditor must verify the consumer's repayment ability as follows. (1) A creditor must verify amounts of income or assets that it relies on to determine repayment ability, including epected income or assets, by the consumer's federal Internal Revenue Service Form W-2, ta returns, payroll receipts, financial institution records or other 3rd-party documents that provide reasonably reliable evidence of the consumer's income or assets. For the purposes of this subparagraph, "reasonably reliable evidence of the consumer's income or assets" includes, but is not limited to, statements from investment advisors, broker-dealers and others in a fiduciary relationship with the consumer as long as the statements reflect the consumer's actual income and not estimated, projected or anticipated income or a range of earnings for a consumer's type or class of employment. (2) A creditor must verify the consumer's current obligations. [2011, c. 427, Pt. A, 15 (NEW).] C. A creditor is presumed to have complied with this subsection with respect to a transaction if the creditor: (1) Verifies the consumer's repayment ability as provided in paragraph B; (2) Determines the consumer's repayment ability using the largest payment of principal and interest scheduled in the first 7 years following consummation and taking into account current obligations and mortgage-related obligations; and (3) Assesses the consumer's repayment ability taking into account at least one of the following: (a) The ratio of total debt obligations to income; and (b) The income the consumer will have after paying debt obligations. [2011, c. 427, Pt. A, 15 (NEW).] D. Notwithstanding paragraph C, no presumption of compliance is available for a transaction for which: (1) The regular periodic payments for the first 7 years would cause the principal balance to increase; or (2) The term of the loan is less than 7 years and the regular periodic payments when aggregated do not fully amortize the outstanding principal balance. [2011, c. 427, Pt. A, 15 (NEW).] E. This subsection does not apply to a temporary or so-called "bridge" loan with a term of 12 months or less, such as a loan to purchase a new dwelling when the consumer plans to sell a current dwelling within 12 months. [2011, c. 427, Pt. A, 15 (NEW).] 5. Flipping. A creditor or a mortgage broker may not knowingly or intentionally engage in the act or practice of flipping a residential mortgage loan when making a high-cost mortgage loan or higher-priced mortgage loan. The administrator may adopt rules defining with reasonable specificity the requirements for compliance with this subsection. Rules adopted pursuant to this subsection are routine technical rules pursuant to Title 5, chapter 375, subchapter 2-A. For the purposes of this subsection, "flipping a residential mortgage loan" means the making of a residential mortgage loan to a borrower that refinances an eisting residential mortgage loan when the new loan does not have reasonable, tangible net benefit to the borrower
considering all the circumstances, including, but not limited to, the terms of both the new and refinanced loans, the cost of the new loan and the borrower's circumstances. 6. Special liability. This subsection applies to any violation of this section in connection with the origination, brokering or servicing of a residential mortgage loan. This subsection does not apply to a purchaser or assignee of a residential mortgage loan ecept as permitted in subsection 3. A. Any person who has been found in violation of this section with regard to residential mortgage loans may be liable to the borrower for the following: (1) Actual damages, including consequential and incidental damages. The borrower may not be required to demonstrate reliance in order to receive actual damages; (2) Punitive damages for violations of subsections 2 and 5, when the violation was malicious or reckless; (3) Costs, including reasonable attorney's fees; and (4) Statutory damages as follows: (a) For violations described in subsection 2, statutory damages equal to 2 times the finance charge paid under the loan and forfeiture of the remaining interest under the loan; and (b) For any other violations of this section, statutory damages in the amount of $5,000 per violation. [2011, c. 427, Pt. A, 15 (NEW).] B. A borrower may be granted injunctive, declaratory and other equitable relief that the court determines appropriate in an action to enforce compliance with this section. [2011, c. 427, Pt. A, 15 (NEW).] C. The right of rescission granted under 15 United States Code, Chapter 41, Subchapter I, Part A for a violation of that law is available to a borrower acting only in an individual capacity by way of recoupment as a defense against a party foreclosing on a residential mortgage loan at any time during the term of the loan. Any recoupment claim asserted pursuant to this provision is limited to amounts required to reduce or etinguish the borrower's liability under the residential mortgage loan plus amounts required to recover costs, including reasonable attorney's fees. This paragraph may not be construed to limit recoupment rights available to the borrower under any other law. [2011, c. 427, Pt. A, 15 (NEW).] D. The remedies provided in this subsection are not intended to be the eclusive remedies available to a borrower, nor must the borrower ehaust any administrative remedies provided under this subsection or any other applicable law before proceeding under this subsection. [2011, c. 427, Pt. A, 15 (NEW).] E. Any person who knowingly violates a provision of this section is guilty of a Class E crime. [2011, c. 427, Pt. A, 15 (NEW).] F. A creditor in a residential mortgage loan who, when acting in good faith, fails to comply with any provision of this section related to residential mortgage loans is deemed not to have violated this section if the creditor establishes that either: (1) Within 30 days of the loan closing and prior to receiving any notice of the compliance failure, the creditor has made appropriate restitution to the borrower and appropriate adjustments have been made to the loan; or (2) Within 60 days of the loan closing and prior to receiving any notice of the compliance failure, when the compliance failure was not intentional and resulted from a bona fide error notwithstanding the maintenance of procedures reasonably adopted to avoid such errors, the borrower is notified of the compliance failure, appropriate restitution is made to the borrower and appropriate adjustments are made to the loan. Eamples of a bona fide error include clerical, calculation, computer malfunction and programming and printing errors. An error of legal judgment with respect to a person's obligations under this section is not a bona fide error. [2011, c. 427, Pt. A, 15 (NEW).] G. The remedies provided in this subsection are cumulative. [2011, c. 427, Pt. A, 15 (NEW).] H. Notwithstanding any other provision of law, a residential mortgage loan agreement may not include any provision that waives any borrower's remedies available at law or equity, whether acting individually or on
behalf of others similarly situated, or the borrower's rights to civil discovery or appeal. Any such provision is unenforceable and void as a matter of law. [2011, c. 427, Pt. A, 15 (NEW).] I. Without regard to whether a borrower is acting individually or on behalf of others similarly situated, any provision of a residential mortgage loan agreement that allows a person to require a borrower to assert any claim or defense in a forum that is less convenient, more costly or more dilatory for the resolution of a dispute than a judicial forum established in this State where the borrower may otherwise properly bring a claim or defense or that limits in any way any claim or defense the borrower may have is unconscionable and void as a matter of law. [2011, c. 427, Pt. A, 15 (NEW).] J. It is a violation of this section for any person to attempt in bad faith to avoid the application of this section by dividing any loan transaction into separate parts or structuring a residential mortgage loan transaction as an open-end loan for the purpose of evading the provisions of this section when the loan would have been a high-cost mortgage loan if the loan had been structured as a closed-end loan or by engaging in any other subterfuge with the intent of evading any provision of this section. [2011, c. 427, Pt. A, 15 (NEW).] 7. Eemption for supervised financial organizations and the Maine State Housing Authority. This section does not apply to any supervised financial organization as defined in section 1-301, subsection 38-A or to the Maine State Housing Authority.